Filling-catcher for looms



M. L. STONE.

FILLING CATCHER FOB LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZY, 1920.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MELVIN I1. STONE, OF LAWRENCE, IVfASSACI-IUSETTS,

ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER CORPORA- FILLING-CATCHER FOR LOOMS.

Application filed May 27, 1920.

Z '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELVIN L. STONE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Filling-Catchers for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to filling replenishing looms, and more particularly to the means for withdrawing the end of the filling leading from an ejected filling carrier to the shuttle when a change of filling is made.

In looms of this general type, when the filling in the shuttle is replenished, the filling carrier previously in the shuttle is ejected, usually by the incoming filling supply, and the old filling which at that time leads from the cloth selvage to the shuttle eye, is usually either broken or parted between the cloth selvage and shuttle.

It has been the common practice heretofore in this type of loom, to provide some kind of means to cut or part the filling between the .cloth selvage and shuttle when the filling is to be replenished, and means has been heretofore suggested for insuring the withdrawal of the trailing end of the filling from the shuttle-box and shuttle. Devices of this general character have been more or less complicated, and have added to the working parts of the loom while they have frequently not efficiently performed their intended purposes.

An important feature of the present invention consists of a thread catcher which is movable with the picker stick and is caused to move transversely of the shuttle-box to engage the filling leading from the ejected filling carrier to the shuttle-box as the picker stick moves in the opposite direc tion. In carrying this feature of the invention into effect, the thread catcher is provided with a hook which is moved transversely of the path of the picker stick as the latter moves toward the inner end of the shuttle box and engages the trailing end of the spent filling; and as the picker stick moves to the outer end of the shuttle-box the thread catcher is moved to its initial or original position, thereby releasing its hook from the filling which has been withdrawn from the shuttle-box and shuttle.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920. Serial No. 384,609.

The thread catcher of the present invention is simple in construction and efiicient and practical in operation, and requires the addition of no complicated parts.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a general plan View of the loonrat the filling replenishing side thereof, showlng more particularly the thread catcher and its associated parts;

Flg. 2 is a detached and enlarged side elevation of a portion of the picker stick show ing the thread catcher mounted thereon;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation showing the thread catcher withdrawing the trailing end of the filling from the shuttle-box and shuttle as the picker stick moves outwardly or toward the outer end of the shuttle-box;

Fig. at is a cross section on the line H, Fig. 1.

The character of loom to which the invention is applicable is known as the automatic or filling replenishing loom, wherein a hopper is provided with filling carriers or bobbins containing a supply of filling, and these are transferred from time to time to the active shuttle when the filling in the shuttle has reached a predetermined degree of exhaustion. The replenishing mechanism is of well known type, and is therefore not shown in the present illustration, portions of said mechanism, however, being indicated in Fig. l. I

The loom frame 1, as usual in this class of looms, supports a bracket 2 from which extends the fixed head 3 forming a part of the filling replenishing mechanism. The usual hopper in which is supported the usual filling carrier is mounted on the sleeve f supported by the shaft or stud 5 projecting from the fixed head 3, and a ratchet wheel 6 is actuated from time to time, all as usual in this class of looms, for effecting the transfer of a filling carrier containing a fresh supply of filling from the hopper to the shuttle.

Thelay 7 may be of usual construction, and provided with the shuttle-box 8 at the replenishing side of the loom, through the bottom opening of which the filling carrier, which is ejected from the shuttle at the moment of transfer, is passed.

A can or suitable receptacle 9 is usually provided in this class of looms for receiving the ejected filling carriers or bobbins.

The picker stick 10 is mounted as usual for reciprocating movement longitudinally of the shuttle-box to pick or throw the shuttle through the shed. In the present nstance the picker stick 10 is provided with the picker 11 which contacts with the end of the shuttle and gives to it the picking impulse.

In filling replenishing looms, it is usual o part the filling leading from the ejected filling carrier so that the trailing end may follow the ejected filling carrier as it passes from the shuttle into the receptacle beneath. The thread-parting mechanism may be of any usual character, and in the present instance of the invention is shown as the usual movable and fixed blades 12 which are mounted upon the shuttle feeler 13 and are caused to operate to part or cut the filling a, Fig. 1, leading from the ejected filling carrier when the change of filling is made. All of the parts oi the loom thus far described may be of the usual character now commonly employed in filling replenishing looms.

As hereinbefore indicated, one of the purposes of the present invention is to provide a fresh hopper which will act reliably to engage the filling leading from the ejected filling carrier and withdraw it from the shuttle-box and shuttle. In carrying this feature of the invention into practical effect, the picker stick 10 has adjustably mounted thereon the sleeve'or collar 14 which may be adjusted to difiierent positions longitudinally of the picker stick and secured in position by means of a set screw or other suitable clamping means 15. Extending from the sleeve or collar 14 is a ledge or support 16 to which is pivotally supported at 18 upon the ledge and having a hook 19 which is adapted to engage the spent filling and withdraw it from the shuttle-box. The pivotal support of the thread catcher upon the ledge 16 is preferably formed by a pivot stud having an enlarged hub portion 20, Fig. 2, and a threaded end 21 so that the pivot'stud may be secured in place by a nut 22. To prevent accidental or too easy pivotal movement of the thread catcher 17, a piece of frictional material 23, Fig. 2, is preferably interposed between the ledge 16 and the lower face of the thread catcher 17, the construction being such that the :Erictional resistance of the material 23 will permit the thread catcher to move on its pivot only when a definite force is exerted thereon.

The sleeve or collar 14 is preferably secured to the picker stick 10 just below the lower discharge opening of the shuttle-box at the filling replenishing side of the loom, substantially as indicated in Fig. 3, and the thread catcher 17 is thus located adjacent to and below the replenishing shuttle-box.

When the picker stick moves toward the inner end of the shuttle-box in picking the shuttle, it is desirable that the thread catcher have its hook move in a direction transversely of and below the shuttle-box to engage the filling end leading from the ejected filling carrier to the shuttle-box. When the hook oi"? the thread catcher has engaged the spent filling, the movement of the picker stick to the outer end of the shuttle-box is utilized to effect withdrawal of the filling; and as the picker stick reaches its outward position, the thread catcher is moved to its initial position to thereby free the hook from the filling previously engaged and withdrawn by it and to position the hook for the next operation.

Various forms of means may be provided "for effecting the alternate movement of the thread catcher to engage and withdraw and then discharge itself from the filling, but in the present instance of: the invention the thread catcher 1'? has a cam portion 24:, Fig. ,1, which, as the picker stick and thread catcher move longitudinally of the shuttleboti whenrthe shuttle is picked, engages a pin which thereby acts upon the thread catcher to move it from its initial position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 to its thread-catching position as indicated by full lines, Fig. 1. When the picker stick moves to its position at-the outer end of the shuttle-box, the cam portion 26 at the opposite side of the pivotal support 18 of the thread catcher engages a pin 27, thereby musing the thread catcher to discharge the e k, ged teeth and return itself to normal position as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 1.

'Ehc pins and 27 may be appropriately supported in position to engage the thread catcher as herein described, and preferably such pins project downwardly from the bottom" of the lay.-

Each time the picker Stick moves towarr the inner end of the box in picking the shuttle, the thread catcher will move with it and its hooked end 19 will be moved transversely of the path of movement of the picker stick from the dotted to the full line position as indicated in Fig. 1. When filling replenishment is called, the incoming filling carrier will force the depleted filling carrier from the shuttle downwardly through the bottom of the shuttle-box and the threadparting device between the cloth selvage b and the shuttle-box will be called into act1on to part the filling. As the shuttle is first picked after receiving a new supply of filling, the thread catcher 17 will be held with the picker stick, and its hook 19 will be brought into engagement with the filling leading between the ejected filling carrier and the shuttle-box, so that on the reverse movement of the picker stick, the filling end will be withdrawn from the shuttle-box and then be disengaged from the thread catcher as the latter is moved from its full to its dotted line position (Fig. 1) IZtick moves to the outer end of the shuttle- The means herein shown and described for effecting the movement of the thread catcher to and from its operative or thread-engaging position (full lines, Fig. 1, to its initial or inoperative position, dotted lines, Fig. 1) may be variously contrived within the true scope of the present invention; but the pins 25 and 27 acting upon the thread catcher, is found to be a good practical form of this feature of the invention, although the invention is not limited thereto.

What is claimed is 1. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of the lay and shuttle-box, means for parting the filling between the cloth selvage and shuttle, a picker stick for picking the shuttle, a thread catcher mounted on the picker stick, and means 'for throwing the thread catcher in a direction transversely of and below the shuttle-box as the picker stick moves inwardly for engaging the filling extending between the shuttle-box and an ejected filling carrier.

2. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of the lay and shuttle-box, a thread parter for parting the filling leading from the filling carrier to be ejected from the shuttle, a picker stick, a thread catcher which is mounted on the picker stick below the shuttle-box, and means for causing the thread catcher to be moved transversely of the path of the picker stick as the picker stick moves inwardly and in the reverse direction when the picker stick moves outwardly to effect withdrawal of the filling end leading from an ejected filling carrier.

In a filling replenishing loom, the com bination of the lay and shuttlebox, a thread parter, a picker stick, a thread catcher movable with the picker stick in'a direction longitudinally of the shuttle-boX, and means moving the thread catcher in a direction transversely of the shuttle-box into an operative position to engage a filling thread extending from the shuttle as the picker stick moves inwardly and for moving thethread catcher out of its operative position as the picker stick moves outwardly.

4. In a filling replenishing loom, the comas the pickerbination of the lay and shuttle-box, a picker stick for picking the shuttle, a thread catcher having a hook and mounted on the picker stick for movement therewith longitudinally of the shuttle-box, and means for moving the hook of the feeler transversely of the shuttle-box to engage the filling leading from an ejected filling carrier as the picker stick moves toward the inner end of the shuttle-box and to withdraw the filling end from the shuttle-box as the picker stick moves outwardly.

5. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of the lay and shuttle-box, a picker stick, a thread catcher pivotally mounted on the picker stick and having a hook, and means for turning the thread catcher about its pivotal mounting to cause the hook to engage the filling leading from an ejected filling carrier and withdraw it from the shuttle-box.

6. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of the lay and shuttle-box, a picker stick, a thread catcher pivotally mounted on the picker stick and having a hook, means for swinging the thread catcher on its pivot to cause the hook to engage the filling leading from an ejected filling carrier to the shuttle-box and withdraw the filling from the shuttle-box.

7. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of the lay and shuttle-box, a picker stick, a thread catcher pivotally mounted on the picker stick and having a thread catching hook, means for moving the hook transversely of the path of the picker stick to engage the filling and withdraw it from the shuttle-box, and means for returning the hook to initial position.

8. In a filling replenishing loom, the co1nbination of the lay and shuttle-box, a picker stick, a thread catcher pivotally mounted on the picker stick and having a thread catching hook, means for moving the hook transversely of the path of the picker stick as the latter moves in one direction and to return the hook to initial position as the picker stick moves in the other direction.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

MELVIN L. STONE. 

